It's Just a Little Blood
by Andreuhh
Summary: Picks up the day after the Founder's Festival. Elena wakes up to find Damon sitting on her bed. What happens when Damon gets near her blood? Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

I woke up the morning after the Founder's Day celebration to see a vampire sitting on my bed. Damon looked like he had been mulling over something unpleasant all night long.

"Look, Elena," Damon began. He refused to meet my gaze, telling me that whatever was to follow was not something he wanted to say. "I'm sorry I kissed you, I…"

"What do you mean 'kissed me'? When did you kiss me?" My voice was tinged with anger and I could feel my brow furrow in confusion. If Stefan heard a word of this conversation, he would be at my side before I could blink.

"You don't remember? Last night, when I was coming out of the house. You had just gotten home with your stuff, and…" I interrupted him.

"I didn't have my stuff. Someone stole it. I thought you knew that." This wasn't making any sense. I could see that Damon was equally perplexed. The awkwardness of the situation was almost physically painful.

"So if I didn't kiss you, then…" His eyes widened with his revelation. "Katherine. No, no, no. This isn't good. I didn't want to see her ever again, much less-" He glanced over at me as he cut himself off. If Damon had been a human, I'm sure he would be blushing right now. Hell, _I_ was blushing right now.

"Damon, what were you thinking? If it had actually been me and Stefan found out, he would do something awful." I was mad, though I wasn't sure where that anger came from. Was it anger at Damon for kissing me or anger at myself for missing it?

"Elena, I just got caught up in the moment, all the excitement of last night, and blah blah blah. Forget the human stuff. It was nothing. Excuse me while I go cut my lips off. They deserve punishment after kissing that frigid bitch." I could see the humanity drain out of his body as Damon returned to being, well, Damon. All the tenderness and romanticism was replaced with narcissism and arrogance.

While I knew that his vampire exterior housed a very sensitive psyche—I mean, come on, he pined over the same woman for almost 150 years—he was extremely good at disguising it and reminding me why I had gravitated toward Stefan.

"Well, since it was Katherine and not me you kissed, you should probably tell Stefan you saw her last night. There's no telling what she was doing here," I said.

"As much as I would love to get wrapped up in that story, I have to go," Damon stated.

"Wait, Damon," I started to say. This conversation wasn't nearly finished, but he was already gone. Damn vampires and their super speed.

I padded downstairs to grab some breakfast. When I turned around to put the milk back in the fridge, Aunt Jenna was blocking my way.

"What was that I saw last night between you and Damon? What are you thinking, fooling around with Stefan's brother? He's way too old for you Elena. What would Stefan do if he found out? What if-" Her questions tumbled out of her mouth, racing each other to be said first.

"Aunt Jenna! Stop. Breathe. Listen to me. That was not me you saw last night kissing Damon. It was just a misunderstanding, trust me. He's _so_ not my type." After I finished, there were a few moments of quiet in which she digested what I had said.

"So… you're saying it wasn't you who looked exactly like you. It wasn't _you_ you who was enjoying kissing Damon. Who was it then, Elena? I know what I saw." She had skepticism radiating off her face.

"Aunt Jenna, I…" My thoughts trailed off when Jeremy walked in. He looked hung over. Again with the drinking? "Jeremy! What happened last night? I was worried about you. Did you sleep alright? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine. It's just…" he glanced at Aunt Jenna. "It's nothing. Hey, Elena? Could I talk to you on the front porch for a sec?" Jeremy pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had a massive headache.

"Uhh… sure. We'll be right back." This was odd. Jeremy hadn't initiated a conversation with me in weeks. I didn't know what to expect, but I was completely blindsided by what he was about to tell me.

Jeremy's words came out in a rush. "I turned last night."

"You turned what? Turned over? Wait… No. No! Jeremy. Please tell me you didn't…" I couldn't finish the sentence. I remembered what it had been like for Vickie when she had turned. Jeremy wasn't nearly as on edge as she had been, at least not yet.

"Elena, I need to feed. I'm not sure how to do all this. It was a rash decision and… Well, it's done now. Could you call one of your vamp boyfriends to help me? Please. My entire body is screaming. Every noise is deafening. I can't control my movements. I feel so twitchy and wired. Caffeine has nothing on this shit." He talked faster and faster.

While his words spilled over me, I called Stefan's cell phone. It rang, but no answer. I really, really didn't want to call Damon, but I had no choice. Jeremy was my brother, after all.

He picked up on the first ring. "Hey, Damon? I know this is a lot to ask, but could you come by my house please? I need your help."

"I'll be right there," he said.

"Okay, Jer. Damon's on his way. Can you sit tight for a minute? I need to go in and talk to Aunt Jenna real quick. It won't take long."

Jeremy's eyes were darting everywhere. "Uh, yeah, sure. I'll just stay right here." It looked like that was the last thing he wanted to do. His foot was tapping against the floor as I walked through the front door and closed it behind me.

"Aunt Jenna?" I called into the house.

"In here, Elena," she yelled from the kitchen.

"Hey, um, Jeremy and I are going to hang out outside for a bit. Damon's going to come over and, uh, help us with something." She gave me a knowing look. "Not anything like that. Just, please don't try to confront him or anything, okay? It's really not what you think."

"Okay, okay. I won't embarrass you." Aunt Jenna turned around to put something away, so I slipped out of the kitchen.

I could hear voices through the front door as I walked toward it.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, you just decided on a whim that you would give up your human life to… what, exactly?" Damon was interrogating Jeremy. I had never seen him so… parental.

"I just thought that it would, you know… Fix stuff." Jeremy's eyes were focused very intently on his feet while he talked.

Damon's piercing stare shifted to me. "Elena, did Jeremy here tell you why he wanted to talk to me in the first place?"

"Uh, no. He didn't. Why?" Damon almost looked amused.

"Well, it seems that innocent little Jeremy is afraid to bite someone. He's afraid to lose control." The mocking tone in Damon's voice didn't help Jeremy's situation. I shifted my expression from worried to glaring.

"Damon, whatever Jeremy needs help with, you will help him. You have to redeem yourself somehow." I smirked at the last part. Jeremy looked up to see Damon's discomfort and grinned.

"She's got you whipped, dude." Jeremy's amusement was short-lived.

"If Elena wasn't here, I would kick your ass." He looked like he meant it, though I knew he would do no such thing. At least, I didn't _think_ he would.

"S-s-sorry," Jeremy stuttered.

"Anyway, back to what I was saying. You're afraid to bite someone, but you're more afraid to die. The simplest fix here is to get you some packaged blood. If Stefan hadn't robbed the hospital recently, I would go grab some for you. As it is, you might want to find a willing donor." Damon leaned back against the wall and relaxed, hoping Jeremy would squirm.

Instead, my brother looked up at me with hope. "Elena…" he began. My eyes widened. This is not at all where I had expected this to go.

He could see I was about to say no. "Please? After everything that happened… If you did this for me, I would forget all of it. Please." Damon's eyes had shot open when Jeremy said my name. They were like saucers now and full of some unrecognizable emotion. Maybe jealousy? Bloodlust? Shock? I wasn't sure.

"Jer, you know I love you, but I'm just not sure I can do that for you."

"Elena, it would solve all my problems. I'm afraid of killing someone while I'm this hungry. You don't even have to let me bite you, you could just… I don't know, pour it in a cup? It's not like you're against vampires." He glanced over at Damon.

"You don't have to do this," Damon said as he rushed to his feet. He put a hand on both of my shoulders and looked deep into my eyes. Had this been under different circumstances… No. Thinking like that wouldn't get me anywhere.

"I want to help him, though. I owe him so much after all the lying I did." I was wavering and I knew it.

"No, Elena. He's transitioning into a vampire now. He'll have to learn to feed sooner or later. Babying him now won't change what will have to happen." At that moment, Damon looked like _he_ wanted to bite me.

I glanced over at Jeremy. He looked so lost and forlorn. I knew I was going to give in.

"I'll be right back," I said. This was going to be hard, but I didn't want to lose my brother. He was almost all the family I had left.

I stalked into the kitchen and grabbed the sharpest knife I could find. Aunt Jenna was upstairs in the shower, I could hear it. Next, I rummaged around for a cup. Tools in hand, I closed myself in the downstairs bathroom and took a few deep breaths. Just as I was about to open my wrist, Damon jerked the door open.

His eyes darkened when he saw the knife so close to penetrating my skin. I mentally shrank from the lusty look in his eyes.

"Elena," his voice was hoarse, "put the knife down. Please. I don't want you to do this."

"Damon, I know you hate your brother, but I don't hate mine. If Jeremy's going to be spending eternity on Earth, then I at least want him to remember me fondly. This may be the last thing I can do to regain his friendship. You don't understand, but that's okay." With that, I cut my wrist and let the blood flow into the cup.

Damon's face contorted into the rather frightening "inner vampire" face. He was restraining himself, I could see it outlined in the tightness of his muscles. Instead of making this easier for him, I actually wanted to… taunt him. Was I going crazy?

I inched toward Damon's stiff form. As I got closer, his nostrils flared. He could smell the blood. My blood.

"Elena, I can't… I can't control myself if you come any closer. I want to leave, but I'm afraid that, if I move, it will be in the wrong direction. I don't want to hurt you. You smell so good." Each word that came out of Damon's mouth was strained. Instead of looking at my face while he talked, his eyes were transfixed by my wrist.

"Then don't." I could hardly believe I said that.

"Wh-what?" Damon's eyes shot up to my face, trying to judge whether or not I was serious.

"Don't." I closed the gap between us and moved my wrist close to his mouth.

He only hesitated for a moment before his mouth was on the wound, sucking at the cut. The dull pain I felt as my blood was sucked out was nothing compared to the pleasure I felt. I hadn't expected that part. When Stefan had bitten me, it was out of desperation. This was out of lust, an entirely different kind of need.

I watched Damon's face change while he fed on me. As he calmed down, the frenzied look gave way to something more like… love? I could feel his fangs piercing my skin, but I didn't care. Our eyes were locked.

As he slowed down, I stepped closer to him until our bodies were nearly touching. While he released my arm and wiped the blood off his lips, he never broke his stare. There was something about those dark, tortured eyes that melted me.

What I felt for Stefan was warm and safe. This was something else entirely. This was dangerous and exciting.


	3. Chapter 3

"Elena?" Damon looked a little worried. "Are you alright?"

I struggled to find my voice. "Fine! Fine. I just, uh…" Words left me when Damon reached up to stroke my face.

"You taste wonderful, by the way." He pulled my wrist back up to his mouth and gently kissed the cut and bite marks. My skin burned where his lips touched.

"We should go talk to, uhh… Jeremy." I started to move away from him, but Damon caught me in his arms.

"Elena, I think we have some unfinished business." His cool hand caressed my cheek.

"I don't know wh-" My words were cut off by his kiss. It was surprisingly gentle. After a few seconds, he pulled away to gauge my expression. Before he could come to a conclusion, I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and pressed my lips against his. I knew this wasn't a good idea, but at the moment I didn't really care.

I could taste my blood when his tongue invaded my mouth. For some reason, I found that exhilarating. I pushed him back against the wall as the heat rose. Every nerve in my body was at attention. Damon ran his hands down my sides and settled them against my lower back.

Just as things were about to escalate to a level I wasn't really ready for, a knock on the bathroom door interrupted us.

"Hey, Elena. Everything okay in there?" Aunt Jenna was obviously trying to look out for me. God bless her.

"Um, yep. I'll be out in just a minute." I reluctantly removed myself from Damon. He pulled me in for a quick, teasing kiss, then opened the door and left faster than I could comprehend. Damon was leaning against the front door before Jenna could turn around. He smiled innocently and waved at her.

I hid the small cup of blood under my shirt and slid past Aunt Jenna. Damon opened the front door and followed me outside. My hands were shaking from the excitement that had yet to wear off.

"Here." I thrust the blood into Jeremy's hand. He stared down at it in wonder. I could see his face change, gradually becoming more feral. He knocked back the liquid like it was whiskey. As soon as he swallowed, Jeremy began changing perceptibly. I could see that he was going through some kind of inner turmoil. Jeremy had just fed the monster lurking inside him and it was screaming out for more.

I never thought I would truly be afraid of my brother, but I instinctively hid behind Damon as Jeremy completed his transition into a full vampire. His eyes opened and immediately focused on me. Damon was poised to defend me if he had to.

"Elena, I really want…" Jeremy began.

"Don't even think about coming after her. I will rip you apart." Damon could easily take on Jeremy. I shouldn't have been trembling, but I couldn't stop myself. Jeremy looked at me, more specifically at the artery in my neck, with hunger. Finally, he single-mindedly lunged.

I might have screamed, but I couldn't hear it. Something about your brother trying to suck your blood is more terrifying than when a stranger tries the same thing. Of course, Damon was much stronger than Jeremy and held him off with efficient ease.

"I told you, Elena. He has to learn to control his need for blood. If it controls him… Well, he'll end up like Stefan did the last time he had human blood. You know how badly that turned out." Damon wasn't even straining as Jeremy fought against him, wearing himself out.

"Now, now, baby vampire. Let's bring it down a notch. You don't need any more of your sister's blood. Go back inside before the sun starts affecting you." Jeremy reluctantly opened the door, but his feet couldn't pass the threshold. He looked like he wanted to cry.

"Elena, mind helping me out?" Jeremy's defeated voice pulled at me.

"Sure, Jer. Please, come inside." At that, he rushed through the door and mounted the stairs faster than I could make out.

"I'll bring him some blood soon, don't worry," Damon said.

"Will he be okay in there with Jenna?" I was worried about my aunt's safety with a new vampire in the house, albeit her nephew.

"She's getting in her car as we speak. Don't worry; I'll get him blood before she gets back home. Anyway…" He trailed off and gave me a significant look.

"Right. Um… Do we have to do this now?" This was the last thing I wanted to talk about.

"No, but it would make things easier. I don't want you two-timing my brother, so we need to sort this out. You know how Stefan is…" Damon stopped his sentence abruptly.

"Don't stop on my account. Please, I would like to know how I am." He smiled at catching his brother in an awkward place, though he had no idea what we were talking about.

"He was just going to say how much you're against drinking human blood." I said that a little too fast. "My brother is a vampire. He turned last night and Damon helped him complete the transition. I gave him my blood so he wouldn't have to bite anyone."

Stefan looked from Damon to me, trying to figure out what we weren't telling him. He gave up after a moment and walked over to hug me.

"Something else happened. What is it?" He was very perceptible. I was about to start confessing when Damon started explaining.

"It's Katherine. She's here in Mystic Falls. I saw her last night and I have no idea what she wants with this place." He sounded nervous,, but maybe I was being paranoid. Whichever it was, it threw Stefan off our tracks.

Stefan mulled that over. "Katherine? Here? That can't be good."


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: Before we get going, I want to say thank you to everyone who has read and/or reviewed so far. I really appreciate you taking the time to do so. I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter. _**

I shot a look over at Damon, but he was obviously avoiding my eyes. The longer we went without telling Stefan what happened, the harder it would be.

"So Jeremy's one of us now. I didn't see that coming. I'm assuming we have Anna to thank. How's he handling it?" The concern in Stefan's eyes started the guilt flowing.

"He isn't as freaked as Vickie was, but I don't think he got what he was expecting. It's like he wanted this transformation to erase all of his problems, but…" I wasn't sure how to finish explaining Jeremy's reaction.

"Actually, Stefan, I told him I would bring him blood. That's the safest thing at this point. I know what you're thinking, but I doubt Jeremy's the type to suck on Bambi." Damon's wording made me smile.

"Damon, we need to talk about what Katherine's return means for this town, especially for Elena." Stefan and Damon were both looking at me with the same expression on their faces: concerned and possessive. I simply couldn't do this. Deciding between the two of them would be tough, but I knew I had to do it.

"Someone needs to stay here with Jeremy. I can't go in there, though. There's no way he's biting me. He needs to learn the ropes of being a vampire." I finished my thought while looking squarely at Stefan.

"Sure, I can do that. Damon, would you mind taking Elena with you? She can stay in the car while you… do your thing." The last words were said with disgust.

"I guess I could take her, but I would really rather go by myself. She can be such a talker," he said teasingly.

I gave Stefan a quick hug and started walking toward Damon's car. The thought of being alone with Damon now made me nervous. I turned around to watch Stefan close the front door behind him.

"After you," Damon smirked as he opened the car door for me. He got in, started the car, and took off. After we were a few miles away from the house, I thought it was time to continue the conversation we started earlier.

"Damon, what is this between us?" I was curious what his answer would be.

"Well, it's called a bench seat, Elena, so that space between us is where another person could sit." His sarcasm wasn't helping, but it didn't surprise me.

"You know what I mean." I wasn't about to let him off that easy.

"Can't we just enjoy ourselves? We get to go on a field trip without Stefan the buzz kill." Damon wasn't going to make this easy either.

"Where are we going anyway?" I had a hunch, but I wanted confirmation.

"I'm pretty sure Stefan's stock of blood is still in the house. I wanted to keep it in case there was an emergency." Damon grinned at me devilishly. Before I got my next question out, we were pulling into the driveway. He drove way too fast.

Damon got out and opened my door for me. He took my hand to help me out of the car. Instead of letting go like I expected, he kept hold of it as we walked up to the house. I could almost feel the hormones his touch triggered as they rushed through my body.

As we walked through the front door, I was surprised to find that Damon was leading me to his room.

"I stowed the blood in here. Didn't want Stefan to be tempted."

"I've never been in your room before." My voice was shaky. I didn't know what I had expected to find in Damon's room, but it wasn't this. Everything looked so… comfortable.

Stefan's room held his entire past and that fact tended to be suffocating. Damon's room held… peace. There was an overstuffed chocolate leather sofa, a worn mahogany desk, a bookshelf full of classic literature, and a huge sleigh bed with snow-white sheets. I guess this is where he went to forget his past rather than bathe in it.

Damon had turned to watch as I studied his room. "Elena, I'm not always the monster I try to be. There aren't any bodies in the closet or people hanging on meat hooks above the bathtub while I drain their blood. I know what you think of me, and…" His sentence trailed off as he shifted his focus to the floor. At that moment, he looked more human than I had ever seen him.

I closed the distance between us and put my hand on his cheek. At my touch, he looked up.

"Damon, I know you're not a monster. I know that your 'bad vampire' act is to protect the humanity you have hidden inside." I moved my hand to rest on his chest. I knew he had a heart in there.

There was discomfort in his eyes. Damon wasn't used to people understanding him at all. He looked like he felt exposed.

"You know I care about you, Elena. I just want you to know what you're giving up if you choose Stefan." With that, he kissed me. It wasn't as gentle as the first time. His mouth was purposeful in its movements. Damon wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me as close to him as he could.

What scared me more than anything was how much I enjoyed this. I abandoned my thoughts and guilt in favor of the kiss. Damon picked me up and put my legs around his hips. When he started backing toward the bed I broke the kiss and looked deep into his eyes.

He sat on the edge of the mattress and I could feel his hardness pressing between my legs. I knew where this was going and, like a runaway train, I couldn't stop it. Every nerve in my body was screaming out for him.

"Are you okay with this?" Damon looked genuinely concerned. The burning in my core answered the question for me.

"More than okay," I whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Yes, yes. I need to go back and flesh this out. The whole thing is a work in progress. :)**_

"Elena, I mean it. If we do this, there's no telling—" Damon's sentence was cut off by his phone ringing.

"Shit, it's Stefan." Damon looked like he wasn't going to answer, but thought better of it. "What?" After listening without comment for a minute, he handed the phone over to me.

"Hey Stefan. What is it?" I struggled to keep my voice steady.

"Jeremy is having trouble dealing with all of this. He has eaten everything in the house already, but what he really needs is blood. Are you two almost done?" Stefan had no idea.

"Yeah, Damon is getting the blood right now." I motioned to Damon to get moving, but he didn't budge. The fact that I was still straddling him probably didn't help.

After I wrapped up my conversation with Stefan, Damon stared at me. Vampires are way too good at reading body language.

"You feel guilty. I get that. This is why I wanted you to make a decision, Elena. Give it to me straight before I get any more involved with you." Damon picked me up and put me down on the edge of the bed beside him. He was so used to people trusting his brother over him; I guess it was easy to expect I would choose Stefan. He looked ready to take a hit.

"Damon, this may be hard for you to hear. I love Stefan. I really do, but when I'm with him, all I feel is safety. Everything he does has to be so… melodramatic. He has tried to leave me so many times and I just couldn't deal with it if he ever went through with it…" As I spoke I realized how much pent-up resentment I had for Stefan. Compared to Damon, he was almost a child.

"Anyway, back to what I was trying to say… I have feelings for you Damon. Very strong feelings. In fact, they scare the hell out of me. Like yesterday when we were doing the first dance? When I practiced that with Stefan, it seemed so silly. With you, not being able to touch you was driving me insane.

"I know you can be violent, but so can Stefan. He has no control over his need for human blood unless he completely abstains. Last time he had human blood he almost…" I trailed off because I wasn't sure where I was going with this. Damon let me sit in thought for about thirty seconds before he started talking.

"Look, if you don't want me just say the word. We're wasting time anyway." I could see Damon's defenses going back up. He started to get up. Before I lost his human side, I grabbed his upper arm and pulled him against me.

"Trust me, that's not it at all." I kissed him with determination. He pushed me back into the bed and settled into the rhythm of our lips. Damon's mouth was cool, but I was giving off enough heat for both of us. He broke the kiss so he could undress and then turn his attention to my clothes. While his clothing had come off faster than I could really see, he took his time with mine.

"You know, I can hear your heart rate go up every time I touch you." He flashed a devilish grin. Damon started at my knee and lightly traced his fingers up my inner thigh. He paused when he reached my panties.

"I'm going to show you what it's like to have sex with a real vampire." I expected him to be was joking, but the dark look in his eyes told he was dead serious. All I could do was swallow hard. I felt my heartbeat going wild and my breathing quicken. After seeing and hearing my reaction, Damon's eyes changed and I could see his extended fangs when he smiled at me.

I watched his fingers as they slipped below the elastic of my underwear. His long fingers stroked me up and down. Damon massaged his thumb against my clit and gradually sunk his fingers inside me. I moaned. It started out soft, but I couldn't contain myself when he began stroking me inside. When my excitement started to build, Damon pulled his fingers out, licking my juices off as he made his way up to my neck.

He started at my collarbone and kissed up to my jaw, causing a tingling feeling to race down my spine. When he made it to my mouth, Damon stroked his tongue against my lips, then nibbled on my lower lip. I felt the sting of his fangs. He moved back to watch the twin droplets of blood on my lips. I could see the intense hunger in his eyes. He bent down to lick the tiny wounds.

I ran my hands across his chest, down his abs, and settled them around his erection. He shivered from my touch. I stroked up and down methodically. Within a couple minutes, he was gasping with arousal.

After pausing to reach up and touch his face, Damon suddenly moved against me, claiming my soft, wet interior. The sensation was more intense than any I had felt before. I could feel his superhuman strength restrained in his muscles. He was trying hard not to go into a frenzy.

"Damon, you can't scare me," I whispered against his neck. "Do what you want."

He looked a little wary, but Damon began thrusting faster and harder. It was a mix of powerful pleasure and a dull pain as he unleashed his strength in measured amounts. I groaned as my excitement began mounting.

"Fuck, Elena. The noises you make drive me crazy." He crushed his mouth against mine, our tongues dancing with one another. The bed was shaking with the force of our lovemaking. I shifted my hips so he could penetrate me as deep as possible.

We were on the edge of a powerful release. Damon was pounding into me. Just before we climaxed, Damon leaned down and sunk his fangs into my neck. My body exploded with a mixture of pleasure and pain. Damon shook violently with the intensity of his orgasm.

After the waves of pleasure slowed, he collapsed on top of me, lazily licking the blood that oozed out of his bite marks. I shifted onto my side to look him in the eyes.

"Wow," I breathed. I was at a loss for words.

"I'm pretty great, huh?" He was grinning again. I could get lost in his clear blue eyes, but Damon never took anything serious long enough for that.

"You really do taste wonderful. Like a fine wine after drinking boxed wine for weeks. So are you mine now or what?" Damon had shifted gears faster than I anticipated. He looked deeply into my eyes, awaiting my answer.

"Hm. It sure looks that way." I cringed at the idea of telling Stefan.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Tweaked this chapter to more accurately convey what I was going for. Thank you for the review that (more or less) said it didn't make sense.**_

"Alright, Princess. It's almost midnight and we have to get you home. We wouldn't want your carriage to revert to a pumpkin and mice while everyone's watching." His smug look made my blood boil.

"Mr. Hyde, good to see you again," I mumbled.

"Wow, there's no way I heard _that_. Could you speak up please?" His sarcasm was getting old. Damon had opened his closet to reveal a minifridge filled with blood bags and was rifling through them. "What blood type do you think little Jeremy would prefer? AB positive? O negative? Oh, oh, does he need a twirly straw to drink from? Maybe a Batman Thermos?" Damon was almost snorting at this point.

"I'm glad you learned to amuse yourself somewhere along the line."

"What, you don't think I'm funny?" Damon tried his best to look genuinely hurt, as unconvincing as that was.

"No, not really. I don't think it's funny that there's a new, hungry vampire lurking around my house with my _boyfriend_. Remember Stefan? The whole insensitivity thing isn't scoring any points for you, by the way." I could play the sarcasm game, too.

Damon rolled his eyes. "We'll fix that soon enough." He walked towards me, towering over me when he got to the bed where I was sitting cross-legged. He leaned down to kiss me, assuming I would comply. The slap that echoed through the empty house was evidence enough that I did not.

"You have some balls, trying to kiss me after making fun of my brother's struggle. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake…" I got up to put my clothes back on while Damon watched. I half expected him to try to force me to change my mind.

Damon raised an eyebrow at my outlash. "I didn't know it would bother you this much."

"It's not that, I just... I feel so guilty. I've never cheated on anyone before and... I don't know. This is all happening so fast!" I felt like I was going to start hyperventilating. Judging by his expression, Damon didn't share the inner turmoil I was experiencing. If I hadn't been wearing vervain, I might have tried to blame this all on Damon's influence. As it was, I was having trouble coming to terms with what I had done. Stefan had been good to me in so many ways, but Damon was so... sexy.

"I'll wait by the car." I couldn't meet his confused eyes.

He finally came outside, a brooding look on his face. I guess there were some (possibly irrational) human feelings that vampires couldn't quite grasp.

After we got in the car, I decided to clarify things. "Damon, I want you to understand, I'm not a trophy to be won from your brother. You can't finish first in some event, take me home with you, and put me up on the mantle to gaze at whenever you please. Also, I'm not Katherine, I don't want to toy with both of you.

"I've been with Stefan long enough and fought for him, as you know. This is a tough choice. I'm not a bimbo, bobbing through life on a whim. Honestly, this whole thing sucks. I love both of you in different ways. If I could take each of your best features and combine them into one person, I would. As it is, I'm going to have to think about this for a few hours at least. Can you give me that much?" I studied his face while he thought it over.

"Elena, you know I can be sort of… confusing. Abrasive. Rude. Contradictory. Pick your word. I'm torn between opening up to you and completely shrugging you off, so you get a bit of both. I want you to know that I would never seriously hurt you, intentionally, unless you betrayed me. So, when you do make your decision, make sure it's final. If you choose Stefan, I won't be waiting in the wings for you when he leaves you 'for your own good.'" By this point, we were almost back to my house. All I could do was nod. I didn't want to risk Stefan hearing any of this.

Damon pulled up to the curb outside my house. He thrust the blood into my hands and gestured toward the house. "But Damon…" He gave me a half smile and reached over to open my door. I could smell him. He smelled like the woods: earthy, sweet, with a hint of spice. I inhaled deeply before getting out of the car.

"Wait, where-" Before I could finish my question, he drove off. I hoped none of the neighbors were watching as I ran inside with four bags of blood.

"Hello?" I called into the house. I figured they would be upstairs. Downstairs was too full of sunlight. Stefan was standing in front of me within a few seconds.

"Finally. I was beginning to wonder. Did you go all the way out to the hospital for this?" He was handling the bags gingerly, still wary of human blood from his last encounter with it.

"Uh… Yeah." I didn't think I sounded very convincing, but it was enough for Stefan. He placed too much trust in me. He rushed back upstairs to hand the blood over to Jeremy. I started to climb the stairs, but thought better of it. He wasn't my baby brother anymore—he was a vampire. I had to remember that.

I sat in the kitchen and waited. Stefan was back quickly.

"He doesn't want to drink the bagged blood. I think he's starting to embrace his feral side. It may be a while before he regains enough of his humanity to function normally. He's already tasted your blood, so I don't think it's safe for you here. At least not for a couple weeks." Stefan was focusing intently on his folded hands.

"I'm not sure what you're getting at. Should I get a hotel room?" There were a couple dots I wasn't connecting.

He looked up at me. "I think you should come stay with me, for a while at least." Stefan was trying to read me. Vampires…

I made some unintelligible noises before forming words. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea." I gulped.

"Why not?" Stefan looked injured. "Wait, is this about Damon? I'm sure he'll leave you alone. He probably went to pick up some random girl to feed on for the afternoon, anyway."

"Well… I don't know, Stefan. Can I think about this until sundown? You can come pick me up then, before Jeremy can come out."

"I can hear you!" I heard Jeremy yell from his room.

"Don't care!" I yelled back.

"I guess that would be alright," Stefan said. "I'll see you in a few hours, then?" He came over to hug me and kiss me on the cheek.

I felt so dirty.

_**A/N: I promise Elena will explain herself. In case this seems random, I assure you it makes sense in the long run, so stick around. :P**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Thanks so much for the kind comments. I really appreciate them.**_

"Hey, Stefan? Before you go, could you go upstairs and get my dairy out of my room? It's behind the picture above my bed." He nodded and disappeared upstairs. Writing in my diary was the only thing I could think to do at this point. I couldn't imagine that anyone would understand.

"Here you go. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about before I go? You look worried." Stefan had noticed the frown I let slip onto my face.

"I, uh…" Was there something other than the obvious? "What about Aunt Jenna? I don't want her in danger either. I've seen how hard it is for new vampires to control themselves."

"Actually, I had planned on going to talk to her. I have to figure out how to get her to ingest vervain." Stefan's eyebrows drew together as he thought. "Is there any kind of food she especially enjoys?"

"I think she loves banana nut bread. I could make some while I'm hanging out here. Can you bring the vervain over later?"

"Of course." He smiled broadly and leaned over to kiss my forehead before he turned to leave.

Finally, I was alone with my thoughts.

_Dear Diary,_ I began. _These last few hours have been extremely confusing. I'm torn between two of the most amazing guys I've ever met. Stefan is loyal, kind, considerate, and romance novel gorgeous. On the other hand, Damon is sex on wheels, charming, mysterious, and one of the most darkly handsome men I've ever seen._

_I guess the main difference is that I have no doubt that I can depend on Stefan. If he can do something for me, he will. Even if he can't he'll try anyway. Then Damon… Well, I never feel like I really know. He'll probably do what I need him to, but usually not in exactly the way I was expecting. I think he has the right motivations, he's just misguided._

_So pretty much… It's all on me. The ball is in my court, but I would rather just throw it back. Whichever brother I pick, I'll probably never see the other again. Can I settle for comfort and security when I have all-consuming passion staring me in the face? I love both of them. _

_Stefan has spent most of his years fighting against what he is and I'm afraid that one day, he'll lose control with someone he cares about and the tragedy will force him into oblivion. Can I deal with the possibility that the tragedy could be me?_

_Then there's Damon. He has completely embraced the vampire he is. He's reckless, violent, and sometimes very detached. I know there's good in him—I've seen it. I honestly can't say whether I'm willing to risk choosing him only to be tossed the minute he's tired of me._

_Diary, you're the only one I can trust with this. If I explained the relatively human part of this to Aunt Jenna, she would probably refuse to help me decide. Jeremy's upstairs doing who knows what… probably biting his pillow for practice. Bonnie wouldn't want to hear any of this. The others would just flip out in one way or another. _

_If I'm honest with myself, I really, really want to believe Damon can be himself for me. He's been hurt so much, I know it would mean a lot if he opened up to me completely. I can hear my grandmother telling me "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." _

_I think there's someone at the door. Gotta run!_

I slid my diary into a kitchen drawer and craned my neck to look down the hall toward the front door. When I saw Damon, my heart jumped.

"Hey, heard of knocking?" I asked without conviction.

"Don't sound too excited. It might scare the children." I loved the way he tended raised his eyebrows when he spoke. Damon came over and gave me a quick hug.

"Wow. Almost human-like. I'm impressed." I couldn't help smiling. He looked like he might kiss me, but I mouthed "Jeremy" and pointed at the ceiling. He got the picture.

"Before you say anything, I know I said I'd give you a few hours to think or whatever. I talked to Stefan briefly about what was going on here and I thought you might want my help." He looked close to normal, relaxing in the kitchen chair across from me.

"Yeah, there are a couple things I could use some vampire help with." I sighed. This day had no normal in sight. "I'm still worried about Aunt Jenna being here. Stefan is going to bring me some vervain to put into banana nut bread, but I would rather have a foolproof way of keeping her away from Count Dracula upstairs." At my last comment, I could hear Jeremy grumbling to himself.

"I would say he's more along the lines of Count von Count. But seriously. I could compel Jenna to stay at a friend's house or something? Of course, then I'd have to compel the friend, too, but that's not a big problem," he finished agreeably.

"That could work." I smiled.

"Can we go up and talk to your brother for a while? I wanted to help him learn some of the basics. Also, I need to get rid of the bullshit I'm sure Stefan tried to put in his head." I nodded. Damon took my hand and led me upstairs.


	8. Chapter 8

When Damon and I walked into Jeremy's room, it looked completely different. All of his furniture had been rearranged, everything was orderly and clean, and he was sitting quietly on the bed. I guess he had found a constructive outlet for his pent-up energy.

"Hi Elena. Damon. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" He seemed eerily calm. I noticed the empty bags of blood in the trash can next to his door. That must be why. I felt a small shiver go up my spine.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked cautiously. There's no telling what, if anything, would set him off. I preferred to err on the side of safety, in the interest of keeping my blood in my veins.

"Much. I wish the blood had been fresher, it tasted stale out of the bag. I can't be picky, though. Thank you for bringing it." He paused for a moment of thought. "Elena, I want to apologize to you for the way I treated you after I read your diary. Becoming a vampire has made me remember everything that happened with Vicki and I don't think my human self could have recovered from that. You're the only sister I'll ever have and I hope we can be friends again." Jeremy seemed almost like a different person.

"Thanks Jer, that means a lot to me." I was starting to choke up. Damon saw that and rolled his eyes in mock disgust.

"Emotions," Damon muttered. "Enough of that. Jeremy, I'm here to teach you how to be a real vampire." Jeremy was listening to Damon with rapt attention. I could tell this is what he had been waiting for. While Damon began explaining the ins and outs of bloodsucking and such, I excused myself and went downstairs.

Through the front window, I saw Stefan walking up the steps to the porch, so I slipped outside to meet him.

"Hey, what are you doing back so soon?" I asked, trying to sound pleasantly surprised. He smiled and kissed me tenderly on the lips. The slow burn I felt with Stefan was so different from the wildfire that raged inside me when Damon was around.

"I came by to drop off the vervain." As he said this, he handed me a small paper package with vervain flowers tucked inside.

"Damon's here." He raised his eyebrows and waited for my explanation.

"Uh—he's here to help Jeremy learn some stuff you couldn't teach him." I hoped Stefan didn't notice my voice wavering slightly.

"You sound upset," he said. Damn.

"Yeah, I… The idea of Jeremy biting someone makes me sorta sick." I could feel the frown pull at the corners of my mouth. All these half-truths were getting to me. Stefan pulled me against his chest and I buried my face there. His scent reminded me of a summer night: warm, vibrant, and gentle.

"Have you thought any more about what we talked about earlier?" he asked as I pulled away.

"I have and… I think it might be for the best. I don't want Jeremy to be tempted, especially before his first night out as a vampire." My motivations for agreeing to this were murky. Staying in the Salvatore Boarding House would definitely be an adventure.

"Good. That way, Damon and I can protect you." There were so many things I wanted to say to him, all holed up inside.

"Um, Stefan? Can I ask one favor though?" He nodded. "Okay… While I'm staying there, I would like to have my own room. I need somewhere to go and be alone, write in my diary, that sort of thing. Is that alright?" His expression was unreadable.

"That can be arranged," he said unwillingly. I could almost see Damon smiling at me. Waving away that image, I turned around to go inside and pack. With my clothes and toiletries, I slipped in a vervain dart that Mr. Saltzman had given to me "just in case" I ever needed it. With vampires around, you never know.

I descended the stairs to find Stefan in the kitchen, deep in thought. He shook himself a bit when I walked in, as if waking up from a dream.

"Time to make banana nut bread," I said as I shook the bag of vervain. I mixed up the batter, chopped the vervain flowers as finely as I could, and stirred them in. Their neutral flavor would be undetectable in the sweet bread.

While I waited for the loaves to bake, I gathered a few other things to take with me, diary included. Damon and Jeremy's voices were still filtering through the ceiling. The early evening sun cast an orange hue on everything as I tossed my bag into the back of my car. Damon had slyly parked his car close behind mine. Now he was sure to see me before I went anywhere.

I hurried inside when I heard the faint beeping of the oven. I cut a hunk off the bread and tried it. I couldn't tell there was anything different or special about it. Stefan came over and sniffed me, wrinkling his nose at the vervain.

"You smell awful." He chuckled.

"Damon!" I yelled up the stairs. His head popped out of Jeremy's room.

"What?" He almost looked genuinely annoyed.

"Move your clunker. Stefan and I are leaving." I watched him walk slowly down the stairs.

"Clunker, eh? You're just jealous. Where are you two lovebirds going, if I may ask?" Sarcasm again, as per usual.

"She's staying with us." Stefan startled me when he spoke. He had an uncanny ability to appear places, as most vampires do.

I saw Damon's body stiffen for a fleeting moment, then he shook it off. "Oh my! Slumber party!" His impression of a girl was downright hilarious. He jumped from halfway down the steps to the floor below and went out the door to back his car out of the driveway.

"He's gone insane," Stephan said, shaking his head. "Let's go. I don't want you around when the sun sets. I don't think Jeremy would do anything to threaten you tonight, but I don't want you here if he brings anyone back with him." I followed him outside while he held the door.

"Bye, Jeremy," I yelled before closing the front door.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: I apologize for the long wait between updates. I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to take the story in, but now that I've decided new chapters should appear more frequently. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing!**_

The short trip to the Salvatore Boarding House was uncomfortable. Somehow, all the lightness I had felt with Stephan had gone. In its place was a thick uneasiness that made my reactions to him sluggish. My insecurities about our relationship didn't help, of course.

When he questioned me about Jeremy and Damon, I could barely form a coherent sentence. I felt so detached.

"Elena, what's wrong? You haven't been yourself at all today." His piercing, genuinely concerned gaze was almost too much. I wanted to cry.

"Stefan, I'm fine. Really." I knew my voice was weak. I was so weary of lying.

I heard him let out a sigh. "If you aren't going to tell me, I'll just have to guess. How many questions do I get?" He grinned, trying to make light of the situation. His humor was snubbed out when he saw the alarmed look on my face.

"Is it really so bad?" His eyes were sad now. Stefan reached over to take my hand, stroking his cool thumb across my clammy skin. I was sure he noticed the signs of my nervousness, but he didn't ask any further questions. We held hands silently while my car winded up the road to the boarding house.

I was becoming increasingly introspective as the sun sunk lower on the horizon. There was no way I could make a decision this important only a few short hours from now. Would Damon tolerate me asking for an extension? How would I ever explain this to Stefan? Explain I would. I knew Damon would never leave our secret under wraps, even if I didn't choose him.

My car looked out of place parked beside the mysterious form of the Salvatore house, bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun.

Just as I cut off the engine, Stefan's cell phone rang. He looked down at the number, thinking a moment. A memory flashed over his face and he looked back at his phone in surprise. "I have to take this," he said hurriedly.

Stefan got out of the car, taking long strides toward the nearby trees. "Go on in and get settled," he called to me over his shoulder.

I trudged up to the front door with my bag. Of course it was unlocked. What was there around here to scare a vampire? When I had first been inside this place, I had imagined it was haunted. The dark wood throughout the house gave it a strange depth. However, I had been here enough to know there wasn't any_thing_ here that would harm me. The any_ones_ were more of a threat. I made my way up the now-familiar staircase to the guest bedrooms.

The worn floorboards creaked with the unaccustomed use. I knew the Salvatores rarely came down this corridor. Vampires had little use for guest rooms.

One of the first doors was open. Stefan must have left it ajar for me. The room faced west, letting the late afternoon sun in through high windows. The remainder of the hall was cloaked in darkness, so I stepped into the open room and tossed my bag on the bed.

"There, all settled in," I murmured to myself. I took out my diary and set it down on the worn desk. It fell open where I had left the bookmark. My situation hadn't changed much since the last entry, but I didn't know any other way to work it out but through writing.

Before I sat down to continue tracing over my circling thoughts, I moved closer to the window to survey the landscape for Stephan's dark form. I faintly registered a cool draft on my neck. Thinking nothing of it, I leaned toward the window, my face almost touching the thick glass. No Stefan. Whoever was on the phone, it must be important.

I looked across the lawn without seeing. Today had been such a _long _day. Most days lately seemed especially long.

The draft tickled the nape of my neck again, sending shivers down my spine. Suddenly, I felt alarm course through my veins. My nostrils were flared and my breathing became shallow. Listening did me absolutely no good. The fear in the pit of my stomach began rising. Just as I made a move to whirl around, cold hands were on my neck.

I struggled, but I knew it was in vain. These were no human hands. I tried desperately to see the face of my assailant. The pressure against my neck was deliberate, tactical. My head started to spin as oxygen was cut off to my brain.

Finally, I felt myself give in to the inevitable dark surrender.

I woke up some time later, my muscles aching with inactivity. My surroundings were grim. The walls were dirt, the floor was dirt, and the ceiling was thick, close-knit wood. The small room reminded me of a cellar. I tried to move, to flex my muscles, but I was securely bound. This was the work of someone with experience.

The dim light that filtered under the sturdy wooden door was fading. Soon, I would be engulfed in darkness.

I tried to scream for help, but the gag made my efforts pitiful. My head throbbed.

Where was I? More importantly, who had put me here?

While my thoughts were reeling, the knob on the door rattled and turned. A shadowed figure moved through the door, flipping on a light switch.

My veins turned to ice when the figure's familiar face was illuminated.


	10. Chapter 10

It was like looking in a mirror, provided that mirror molded your features to another personality and nature. At first glance, Katherine looked exactly like me. Upon closer inspection, I could detect the subtle differences. There was a cruel shadow in her eyes that I didn't have. Her face was paler and smoother, almost like emotionless porcelain.

She looked down at me loathingly. "So, Elena," she began, "how was your nap?" A sneer disfigured her face. "I bet you've been trying to form a plan to get out of here. Let me go ahead and tell you: it won't work." She held up a small electric lantern.

"If you would humor me and look down, you will notice that I've changed your clothes." My jeans and t-shirt had been traded for cheap sweatpants and a baggy long sleeved shirt. She swept a hand over her own attire. "I took the liberty of changing into the outfit you left for me on your bed." Katherine giggled. I was hardly amused.

She continued her monologue. "You may be wondering about your boy toys." Placing her hand over her mouth, she weakly coughed. "Stefan went into town to get some medicine for me. I'm so sick." The chuckle that followed made me uneasy.

"As for Damon, I called him with your phone and he was kind enough to agree to find a doctor who does night house calls." Katherine's lips curved in self-satisfaction.

I didn't know what she planned to get out of this, but I was sure I wouldn't like it.

Katherine left the room for a moment, returning with a book in her hand. My diary. _Shit_, was all I could think.

"This little book has been _so_ helpful, Elena. You have no idea. After reading this, I can emulate your personality perfectly. With your clothes on, I smell like you. Sickness explains my paleness. Everything is set up and ready to go," she finished with triumph.

Katherine bent down to remove the gag from my mouth. I would have screamed, but my voice was hoarse. The soreness in my jaw made speaking painful.

"You won't get away with this," I whispered. Suddenly, Katherine's face was inches from mine. She was crouched on the dirt floor a mere foot away from me.

"And what are you going to do about it, child?" She grinned. "You have no hope against me. I can easily overpower Damon, and I doubt Stefan will be running to save you after I tell him what you did with his dear brother." Katherine let out one short, humorless laugh.

"You won't get away with this," I repeated without conviction. Rational thoughts were escaping me.

"Elena, dear," she said as her eyes darkened, "I already have." When her inner beast began to leak across Katherine's face, she was on me. She unceremoniously bit into my neck. I tried to protest, but all that came out was a hoarse croak.

She withdrew quickly, surprisingly. Instead, she leaned down to sniff the oozing bite marks. "You smell funny." I remembered the banana bread as Katherine's nose wrinkled. "Wait…" Her eyes widened. She grabbed the front of my neck, digging her fingers into my flesh. "Is that _vervain_?" I could feel my skin bruising under her touch.

"I only had a little," I managed to say. Katherine released me slowly. Her skin was paling visibly. Now she really did look sick. She looked like she wanted to vomit.

"You bitch," Katherine said as she clutched her stomach, sitting back on her haunches. "You little _bitch_." I couldn't help but smile at seeing the powerful Katherine weakened, even a little, by a human.

"Oh, my head." With one hand busy pinching the bridge of her nose and the other massaging her belly, she reminded me of a sick child.

"Come on, Katherine," my voice rasped, "look at the bright side: this way you being sick is believable. You know, because it's true."

She glared at me. It was a look filled with such malice all the humor was wiped out of me. "You'll pay for this," she said with venom. I could see her hands trembling as she replaced my gag. She picked up the lantern, hastily wiped the blood trails off her face, and exited my little Hell.

The door closed with a thud and I heard the lock turn. The bluish-white light faded away until I was left in utter darkness. After several minutes of shifting and struggling, I managed to sit up and lean against the damp earthen wall.

The change of positions helped me think more clearly. I knew there was no way I could get out of here. There was thick rope coiled like a snake around my ankles, thighs, wrists, and elbows. My only real hope was in Damon and Stefan. I sighed inwardly. Waiting would at least give me time to make my decision between them.

So far, they had come out fairly even in pros and cons. Long-term, I was sure Stefan would be there for me. Damon was more unclear. He certainly had feelings for me, though he tried to bury them. I couldn't easily determine the intensity and longevity of those feelings. They were ten feet under and I had barely scratched the surface of Damon's complexities.

Where Stefan was a clear stream—predictable, gentle, and translucent—Damon was more like a river after a flood: swift, murky, and hazardous.

While I turned these thoughts over, the temperature began to drop. Based on the fact that there were no houses near enough to the Salvatore house for Katherine to have stashed me in time to get back before Stefan noticed, I figured I was in some forgotten cellar in the depths of the house. Occasionally, I heard the boards creak under weight, though never directly above me.

Gradually, a thought dawned on me. The notion made my stomach sink. My decision really wasn't a decision at all. I had been bobbing along as if I could _choose_ between Damon and Stefan. In reality, Damon was my only option. Stefan would never, ever forgive me for what I had done. He would never trust me again.

As terribly heartbreaking as it was, I had to let Stefan go. Trying to keep him would be beyond selfish—it would be cruel.

Time seemed to slow and my thoughts began running together. At some point, I must have fallen asleep because I opened my eyes to see a thin, grey light creeping under the door. It was early morning.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Vanessa, I agree that they should be able to tell. However, the version of vampires portrayed in the TV series is very watered down. It makes me sad. **___

The house groaned above me in its early morning slumber. My muscles were so stiff that it was painful to move at all. Breathing was difficult because I had fallen asleep sitting up against the wall. The memory of last night's realization haunted me. My mind was more alert now and it was rebelling against the truth its delirious self had uncovered.

Stefan would never, ever forgive me, just like he never forgave Katherine. He might even try to kill Damon.

All I could do was wait. My stomach rumbled, angry with me for not feeding it. I let my thoughts flit from here to there, never touching on one subject for long. This approach seemed to pass the time better than mulling over the same thing for hours on end.

I thought about my parents and the last time I had seen them. I remembered how Jeremy and I used to have so much fun together. Jeremy was a different person now. Damon and Stefan were always in the back of my thoughts, but I tried my best not to let them reach the surface. Obsessing would do me no good. I closed my eyes, trying to erase my mind, but the hamster on the exercise wheel refused to stop spinning.

By the time the light under the door had warmed to a golden tone, I could hear movement above. I made some feeble attempts at noise, but I eventually gave up. I heard the walls shift when a door was slammed.

About 5 minutes later, keys were jingling in the doorknob.

Katherine looked to be in much better spirits than when she left last night. She had brought me breakfast.

"I'm still a bit weak from last night, but I feel much better. Thanks for asking," Katherine said with mock appreciation.

She set the plate of food down and walked over to take my gag off.

"Sleep well?" Her tone was flat, void of any warmth or meaning. "We've got to keep you fed and living. Plus, I thought you might like an update. Let's see…" She reached over to grab the meal of stale bread, a peeled orange, and some sort of meat that had been charred beyond recognition. Apparently Katherine wasn't much of a cook.

She ripped off a piece of bread and fed it to me as she continued. "Damon is out getting his meal for the day. He said he wanted to know what you decided, but I told him I needed more time. Hmm…" She paused again while she tore the meat into bite-sized pieces.

"Stefan was rather unhappy this morning. You may have heard him slam the door. I was afraid he might break it. He was rather irritated with you last night because you still hadn't told him what was wrong. Of course, I had to go to bed early to sleep off my illness. I believe Stefan went on to school to get some space."

Katherine affected a hoarse voice. "I'm too sick to go to school today," she rasped, then grinned at her own acting skills. I was still working on the dry meat, thinking over what she had told me.

"Katherine," I began, "what are you planning on doing with me, exactly?"

She smiled her cruel smile. "Elena, dear, I'm going to use you to get everything I ever wanted." She raised her eyebrows, waiting for me to consider her statement. "The Salvatore brothers both love you in a way they never cared about me," she went on. "We are very different, you and I."

"Obviously," I mumbled.

She ignored my comment and continued, "I've always been selfish. They never thought I knew what I was doing to them back then." Memories of her past flitted across Katherine's face. "I loved them both, in their own ways. Making a decision between them was harder than I ever anticipated. But," she paused to separate the orange into sections, "my indecision cost me both Salvatores." She sighed. It was an odd sound, coming from someone as overconfident as Katherine.

"I know what you mean," I said between chews. It was the absolute truth. She looked down at me strangely. Her expression was almost… sisterly.

The moment of kinship didn't last long, though. Katherine's face was alert as she looked up at the ceiling. "Someone's back," she whispered to herself. She quickly replaced my gag and picked up the remainders of my breakfast. Her movements were a blur as she exited the room and locked the door.

I groaned. Today was not going to pass by easily. I heard muffled voices above me, followed by some stomping, then louder voices. They must be shouting.

Something crashed into the floor. It sounded like glass breaking. More raised voices. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad, after all.

Someone was running down the stairs.

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Reviews mean a lot to me.**_


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